tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30903988715472696642024-03-12T16:46:17.828-07:00The Frugal Observer...exchanging convenience for durability, longevity, and sustainability.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-26144358269135499622008-05-13T15:46:00.000-07:002008-05-13T15:58:46.441-07:00Green Thumbing Across TexasAs a performing songwriter, I am expected to be a troubadour as well, traveling from town to town, serenading strangers in different settings. But driving from town to town is not so green. Nor is it cheap. I sat down and did the math for a performance I had scheduled last weekend in Far West Texas, one of the most remote regions in the country. The truth in the math suggested to me that I should cancel the gig. Why ? The round trip in my red Volvo, “Ruby”, would cost me about the same in gasoline as I was getting paid for the gig. And driving solo all the way acro<a href="javascript:void(0)" tabindex="10" onclick="return false;"><span>Publish Post</span></a>ss Texas is the sort of guilt which keeps me awake at night. Not wanting to let down the venue or lose work ethic points, I was determined to find a solution.<br /><br />Amtrak services the Big Bend area, but from Austin, it is $150 round trip and includes a 9 hour layover in San Antonio overnight...making the total journey over 50 hours long on the train ( vs 16 hours round trip in a car ). There is no bus that goes out to Big Bend from Austin and no mass transit of any kind once there in the area.<br /><br />So the only answer was to find empty seats in cars already going out there.<br /><br />I had participated in many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">rideshares</span> before, but only between major cities, and never for a gig where I needed to haul my guitar and other related paraphernalia. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wasn</span>’t quite sure how I was going to pull this off. I closed my eyes and thought about all the vehicles whizzing around everywhere with all their empty seats. Surely I could do this. The adventurer within was awakened.<br /><br />The first part was easy. I got on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">craigslist</span> and searched the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">rideshare</span> ads. Luck struck ! There was a driver heading out West from Austin Texas to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Marfa</span>, TX for a Film Festival. I contacted her. Even though her email alias was tagged as “Creepy”, I took a chance. I attributed the name choice to the Greenland/Iceland reverse psychology theory. She turned out to be rather normal, not overly normal, and a very good driver. The other passenger and I had some friends in common. After our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">rideshare</span> team was assembled, we headed out west. The trip to Alpine cost us each $13 in gas in her Toyota Corolla, and placed me within 80 miles of my final destination. My Volvo would have charged me close to $60 if I had driven these 400 miles solo, each way ! Ruby demands premium gasoline. I have tried to trick her a few times, but she knew the difference and did not react kindly.<br /><br />In Alpine, I stood on Hwy 118 and stuck out my thumb. Hitchhiking is technically illegal in Texas, but when the sheriff drove by, he smiled and waved. A new red pick up truck pulled over. Kaleb told me that he had seen me perform in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Terlingua</span> before and offered me a ride. After he dropped me off about 15 miles from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Terlingua</span>, I accosted the mailman. He told me he was heading into town, and so I rode with him to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Terlingua</span>. In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Terlingua</span>, I got lucky again and encountered the bartender of the “Thirsty Goat” in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Lajitas</span>, the bar I was playing in that night. Against the will of the drivers, I pitched in for gas for these shorter journeys to help the drivers a bit with their guzzlers. All in all, I got from Austin, Texas to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Lajitas</span> for $22. There is no bus that comes out this way and no mass transit of any kind in this tiny town.<br /><br />In addition to the savings and free adventure, my final reward came from a very appreciative gentleman in the audience who started throwing $100 bills in my tip jar. No Joke !<br /><br />Yes, it pays to travel green.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-63444116050618455072008-04-30T14:31:00.000-07:002008-05-02T15:19:50.071-07:00Wasted Energy in the Name of ExerciseI can’t help dwelling on the energy I wasted today.<br /><br />I spent my hard earned money to buy organic calories at Whole Foods only to throw it all away on the elliptical machine at the YMCA. I spent $1.49 for each apple ! They were good apples, but I remember when apples were only 50 cents. It is not hard to remember back that far, because it was only last year. The gasoline that my Volvo used for the 6 mile round trip to the gym also cost about a buck fifty, however, my Volvo used 18,000 calories for the trip ( 3000 calories per mile ) ! If I made the same trip by walking or running, it would have only taken 600 calories for the entire trip. If I rode my bike, I would have only used 210 calories, about the same amount of calories as two apples. My Volvo used the equivalent of about 180 apples to get me to the gym and back. The readout on the elliptical machine informed me that I burned 500 calories.<br /><br />What a waste !<br />I could have used those 500 calories to :<br /><br />Do a couple of errands by foot.<br />Do all of my errands by bicycle<br />Get to a job and back<br />Plant a veggie garden<br /><br />Here is the math :<br /><br />500 calories = 5 apples<br />5 organic apples at Whole Foods costs $7.45<br />Being that 35 calories on a bicycle can get me one mile, 500 calories can get me about 15 miles on a bicycle, enough to get me to work and back ( when I had a job ) and do all my other errands.<br />15 miles in my Volvo in the city uses just under a gallon of fuel, or about $3<br />A gym membership costs me about $2 a day.<br /><br />Putting this all together, I wasted $12.45 today and caused unnecessary damage. If I wasted this amount 5 days a week for a full year, I would waste $3237 dollars.<br /><br />The fossil fuels took millions of years to produce the 18,000 calories it took my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">volvo</span></span> for the short trip to the gym. The apples took just one growing season. If I were to drive to the gym 5 days a week, it would use up 4,680,000 calories, or about 46,800 apples. That doesn't include all my other driving.<br /><br />I and my Volvo, together, wasted 18,500 calories today in the name of exercise. I am trying to figure out how I got duped into thinking this made any sense.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-71965975470976434522008-03-18T09:11:00.001-07:002008-03-18T09:11:29.481-07:00Stocks on SteroidsIs it really the right solution for the federal government to inject the economy, particularly the stock market and credit and loan <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bureaus</span>, with 200 billion more dollars worth of federal emergency loans ? Where is this money even coming from when our nation is already in debt trillions of dollars ? Who does this injection benefit ? Who will pick up the tab and when ? What do the federal interest rate cuts actually do and what is the lasting benefit ? Are there any policies or rebates which encourage people to save, be resourceful, and avoid debt ? What are the tangibles which back up our currency ? Is it oil ? Is it housing ? What will we do if our currency can no longer purchase cheap goods and services from subordinate countries ? What if our leaders' eye on the prize in the middle east doesn't result in a return on our investment as they had hoped ? These are important questions to stop and think about. As the true reality of our economy presents itself, we may find great opportunities to be creative and make positive and necessary changes.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-30079529528475696392007-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:002007-09-24T14:22:52.729-07:00Ceder Fever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RvgkxUXrYCI/AAAAAAAAANI/xer68USJ8oE/s1600-h/cedar+harvest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RvgkxUXrYCI/AAAAAAAAANI/xer68USJ8oE/s200/cedar+harvest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113877806579408930" border="0" /></a>Here in Central TX, Ceder trees grow everywhere. Some consider them to be invasive, since they are not native to the area. They are known to horde water even. Yet, they continue to multiply. They are very beautiful trees and happen to make excellent wood for building. In setting up for the <a href="http://www.naturalbuildingtexas.org/">Texas Natural Building Colloquium</a>, taking place in Kerrville TX, we spent a few days harvesting Cedar Trees from a neighbor's ranch. Harvesting Cedar Trees in Central TX is guilt free. Using mostly human power, we carefully and considerately plucked our trees from an overgrowth, leaving only small gaps where extra sun rays can peek through to help grow smaller trees whose size have been hindered by the shadows of their neighbors. This practice is much preferrable to clear cutting, the industrial standard of quickly capitalizing on lumber with no consideration of the long term effects. They maximize their profits and minimize expenses by taking ALL trees in an area while leaving the earth below to regress quickly into a desert scape that then loses its ability to hold water and plantlife.<br /><br />When Cedar Trees are stripped of their bark, what is left is a very unique beautiful and smooth <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RvglFUXrYDI/AAAAAAAAANQ/T339tHDwjLE/s1600-h/Debarking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RvglFUXrYDI/AAAAAAAAANQ/T339tHDwjLE/s200/Debarking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113878150176792626" border="0" /></a>custard colored wood, which Erin the volunteer coordinator refers to as the wood used in Texas country porches. The bark can only easily be stripped within 24 hours of harvesting the tree. After that, as the water dries out of the tree, the bark sticks to the wood like glue.<br /><br />Getting a few friends together and finding a rancher who wants an overgrowth of trees cleared can get you some of the highest quality wood available for free, with minimal impact to the land.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-31129725305959947422007-09-10T10:25:00.000-07:002007-09-10T11:10:23.529-07:00Tour Share<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RuWDr0RkwXI/AAAAAAAAAMU/uQIzdEiU2SU/s1600-h/raina+driving.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RuWDr0RkwXI/AAAAAAAAAMU/uQIzdEiU2SU/s200/raina+driving.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108634141111665010" border="0" /></a>What is tour sharing ? It's when musicians on tour combine itineraries ( and a ride ) in order to save money and increase efficiency. When Raina Rose and Hunter Paye asked me to join them on tour down the West Coast back to Austin, TX ( where I was intending to fly to ), I knew that this was the universe stepping in with a better alternative. Raina's van gets 25 mpg, which is pretty good for a van. With 3 people, it gets 75 mpg per person ! This is a great improvement, considering that songwriters often tour solo. In addition, Raina transported a mattress ( a paid craigslist gig ) for someone in Austin. There is no quesstion that we maximized all usable space in the van. The universe was good to us in return and carried us safely without incident. Most music venues will put a few artists together on one bill anyway. This method of touring offers an already completed bill to a venue. Venues like that. It also combines fanbases for better attended shows. Being that Raina is the tour monger, she already had the shows booked, but for songwriters with less experience on the road, combining tours helps to also split up the work getting the gigs. We basically put the money from the tip jar towards travel expenses ( gas, etc ) and then we each kept our own CD sales to put towards our futures.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-63930931694784213042007-08-20T15:06:00.000-07:002007-08-24T14:58:24.041-07:00Crow House Collective<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoXc0RkwEI/AAAAAAAAAJs/-_hCE2aWSDY/s1600-h/Another+Gourmet+Meal+in+the+Works.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoXc0RkwEI/AAAAAAAAAJs/-_hCE2aWSDY/s200/Another+Gourmet+Meal+in+the+Works.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100915311786639426" border="0" /></a>The Crow House Collective in the Alberta neighborhood in Portland, Oregon is disbanding after two years of shared living, as members are getting ready to launch on various endeavors and international travel experiences. Members may regroup in a different location when they return. The current residents of the Crow House include Hope, Emile, Christa, Laura, Matt, and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoYQERkwGI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/RjO5h0KWN-I/s1600-h/crow+breakfast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoYQERkwGI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/RjO5h0KWN-I/s200/crow+breakfast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100916192254935138" border="0" /></a> Christopher. Their ages range from the early 20's to early 40's. The Crow House is planted in the middle of the Alberta Arts District. What would otherwise be a very expensive area, this shared living experience drops the price of rent to only $300 each per month. Bills are split 6 ways, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoYbERkwHI/AAAAAAAAAKE/tyJ5IdMhH5E/s1600-h/this+is+how+you+compost.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoYbERkwHI/AAAAAAAAAKE/tyJ5IdMhH5E/s200/this+is+how+you+compost.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100916381233496178" border="0" /></a>delicious home cooked meals ( usually shared ) are an everyday experience, and group outings are always being planned. Other than Hope and Emile ( a couple ) sharing a room, each resident gets their own private room. The basement has been transformed and devided into an art space, music rehearsal room, shared internet station / movie room, and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoY4ERkwII/AAAAAAAAAKM/Mbdtj-e9Sfg/s1600-h/porch+conversation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsoY4ERkwII/AAAAAAAAAKM/Mbdtj-e9Sfg/s200/porch+conversation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100916879449702530" border="0" /></a> even a guest room for me during August 2007. There is at least one backyard camp fire each week, usually including music and sometimes even wine. Before their decision to disband, they had 6 egg-producing chickens, a garden attempt which was hindered by a large tree, a compost system, rasberry bushes galore, many visitors, and now lots of memories. Living with 5 other <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rs9UW0RkwKI/AAAAAAAAAKc/XSCqPUyPzxA/s1600-h/firepit+serenade.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rs9UW0RkwKI/AAAAAAAAAKc/XSCqPUyPzxA/s200/firepit+serenade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102389653800272034" border="0" /></a>people has its share of challenges, but the positives outweigh the negatives exponentially. Sharing a living space enables residents to learn new skills from each other ( new recipies, different ways to clean dishes, how to play an instrument, etc ). The financial savings coupled with sharing chores frees up many hours each week to work on personal projects, make art and music, plan for the future, and enjoy life.<br /><br />Thanks to the members of the Crow House for being such generous hosts during my visit to Portland.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-62500452616580318882007-08-15T13:31:00.000-07:002007-08-24T15:40:32.851-07:00Go ByCycle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsNji6fselI/AAAAAAAAAJE/IbtvsRUrwNI/s1600-h/bycycle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RsNji6fselI/AAAAAAAAAJE/IbtvsRUrwNI/s320/bycycle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099028654582430290" border="0" /></a><br />Check out <a href="http://bycycle.org/">ByCycle.org</a>. It is a point to point mapquest-like mapping program which navigates cyclists through the city along established bicycle routes. Right now, it is only available in Portland, Oregon, and Milwaukie, Wisconsin, but there is hope that it will be available next year in Austin, TX and other potential municipalities.While cycling is one of the greatest ways to save money, stay healthy, and protect the environment, route safety is a big barrier for most commuters. This is where <a href="http://bycycle.org/">ByCycle.org</a> helps most.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-61720523170920489332007-08-09T10:56:00.000-07:002007-08-15T12:38:32.747-07:00Carpenter John<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtj7KfsejI/AAAAAAAAAI0/_MzWjO0EYPU/s1600-h/Carpenter++John.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtj7KfsejI/AAAAAAAAAI0/_MzWjO0EYPU/s200/Carpenter++John.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096777271380572722" border="0" /></a>John Steup has figured out that remodelling/restoring his family's home can perhaps be the smartest use of time while in between jobs. John treats this project as he does any other job, with fervor, passion, and selfless devotion. He understands that it can pay him and his family back exponentially, especially when considering the money they are saving and value added to their home when comparing it to and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RrtgTqfsehI/AAAAAAAAAIk/tkwQeG4fGa8/s1600-h/John%27s+Kitchen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RrtgTqfsehI/AAAAAAAAAIk/tkwQeG4fGa8/s200/John%27s+Kitchen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096773294240856594" border="0" /></a> factoring in the compound interest of financing someone else to do it for them. It helps that John has previous carpentry experience and an artistic and instictive vision for his home. John has chosen to make ethical choices in materials used for his home, purchasing much of his supplies from the <a href="http://www.rebuildingcenter.org/">Rebuilding Center</a> in Portland Oregon. John's situation <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtgm6fseiI/AAAAAAAAAIs/VptXGtaxGCA/s1600-h/carpenter+john.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtgm6fseiI/AAAAAAAAAIs/VptXGtaxGCA/s200/carpenter+john.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096773624953338402" border="0" /></a>demontrates that by having a number of skills on the backburner can and will come in handy in times of necessity. It also gives him distance from the rat race and more time to spend with his family, while carefully scouting out work that fits his values. During the remodelling process recently, he uncovered a newspaper from 1929 ( the year the house was built ) in the framing of the house. On one of the pages was this quote :<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If you want to succeed in the world you must make your own opportunities</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">as you go on. Th</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtk8qfsekI/AAAAAAAAAI8/AuVEJqvy300/s1600-h/1929+paper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rrtk8qfsekI/AAAAAAAAAI8/AuVEJqvy300/s200/1929+paper.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096778396662004290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">e</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">dry land, will find that the seventh</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> wave is a long time a-coming. You</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> until someone</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">comes along and</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> invites you to ride with him to</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> wealth or influence. -</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">John B. Gough as seen in the Friday November 8th 1929 edition of THE</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">OREGON DAILY JOURNAl found in the framing of John's house.</span>trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-46363282607267918842007-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:002007-08-09T12:21:00.621-07:00Makin' it in the City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RrtUaafsefI/AAAAAAAAAIU/pW3lBydLARo/s1600-h/Jason+and+his+daughters.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RrtUaafsefI/AAAAAAAAAIU/pW3lBydLARo/s200/Jason+and+his+daughters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096760216065440242" border="0" /></a><br />Friend and former housemate, Jason Butler, has maximized the capacity of his small lawn by removing the surrounding grass and concrete driveway and transforming the space into an intensive, carefully thought out vegetable garden. He is harvesting tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, chard, squash, many kinds of herbs, berries, and much more. He also has two egg-producing chickens, which run freely through the garden for much of the day. Living in the inner city, Jason and his fiance, Melissa, haven given up their car. By cycling and walking everywhere, and by growing their own food, they save thousands of dollars every year, which frees up time for them to work on various creative projects. They were lucky to find their house in NE Portland a few years ago before the inflated housing prices descended upon that area.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-41363439849263673922007-07-27T12:05:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:03:52.338-07:00Composting Cousins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqpE2XKKMrI/AAAAAAAAAIM/IoGy9FPMx3E/s1600-h/Compost+Me.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqpE2XKKMrI/AAAAAAAAAIM/IoGy9FPMx3E/s200/Compost+Me.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091958029416018610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqpEunKKMqI/AAAAAAAAAIE/ivhqlCnlSMM/s1600-h/proud+composter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqpEunKKMqI/AAAAAAAAAIE/ivhqlCnlSMM/s200/proud+composter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091957896272032418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My cousins, Terry and Barak, are now proud composters. This backyard composter, from <a href="http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/14-0023">Real Goods</a>, can be easily assembled in minutes, keep the animals out, and will transform kitchen scraps into usable mulch for next year's garden. It is also makes a good hiding spot.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-82702851809869216932007-07-25T10:45:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:15:20.181-07:00Google Transit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqeNOXKKMlI/AAAAAAAAAHc/TFwpH6jm6uE/s1600-h/transit_labs_hp_logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqeNOXKKMlI/AAAAAAAAAHc/TFwpH6jm6uE/s200/transit_labs_hp_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091193181639946834" border="0" /></a><br />I am in Austin, TX for the week. After the expensive car trouble that I had last weekend, I am even more motivated to continue using public transit, where available. They say that Austin has the best mass transit in Texas, or at least the highest rideship per capita. It also is one of the test cities for <a href="http://google.com/transit">Google Transit</a>. This is a point to point mapping interface that got it right. It's fast, simple, and easy to use...a grand improvement over the city's own transit website. Search results provide walking directions to the bus stop, an easy to read map with bus stop icons, any transfer information, trip summary, and cost comparison to driving. It also works well on internet enabled phones for spontanious trip planning.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-89439833320971067242007-07-21T07:39:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:16:10.302-07:00Bad Timing in La GrangeWhile driving from Houston to Austin, I passed through a town called Ellinger. That's the town where you have to slow down to 45 MPH for about half a mile. I always make sure to slow down in this town. I've only received two speeding tickets ever, and they were both in this town, two years apart, by the same police officer. Anyway, this time around, I slowed down, but couldn't speed up again. My accelerator wouldn't work. I coasted into the Chevron station where we looked for a ride to Austin for Yuon, who was ridesharing to Austin with me. The town mechanic came out to tell me that's it's my timing belt and that I should get towed to La Grange 13 miles away, because he doesn't have the part. They are fixing it now and I am staying in a cheap motel accross the street named Cottonwood. This trip to Austin will cost me about $400 including the motel and tow. A Greyhound would have cost me about $22. Riding as a passenger with someone else would have cost me about $15. I didn't accept rideshare payment from Yuon, since I only got her halfway.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-62077465835766042122007-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:002007-07-21T13:41:09.517-07:00Bussing to Sam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqJt0HKKMfI/AAAAAAAAAGw/VGjWiVYggf4/s1600-h/foreman+sam.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqJt0HKKMfI/AAAAAAAAAGw/VGjWiVYggf4/s200/foreman+sam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089751270924366322" border="0" /></a>I went to my friend Sam's house in Houston to help him start a garden in his backyard. I decided to try the Houston bus again, instead of making the 25 mile roundtrip journey in my car. I checked out the route on the <a href="http://tripplanner.ridemetro.org/">Houston Metro Trip Planner</a> . It gave me route that was 83 minutes ( inluding a 30 minute tranfer ) to his house. I figured I would bring along a book on tape to pass the time. After waiting at my transfer stop for while, the bus driver from another bus line pointed out to me that the stop I was waiting at was only for weekend travel and that I should use the stop around the corner. I looked at the sign, and yes, in the fine print, it said that it was just a weekend stop. I had missed my bus and had to wait another 30 minutes ( an hour total ) for the next one. Next time I won't make the same mistake. All in all, it took me about two hours to get to Sam's house. Coming back, there is only a 6 minute tranfer time, so the total trip time is much less. All in all, I think it was still worth it to take the bus. It cost me only $2 ( unlimited travel for 24 hours ), was very relaxing b/c I didn't have to concentrate on driving, and I got some exercise walking to the stops. Oh, and Sam and Linh ( his wife ) are well on their way to having a small farm in their backyard.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-60565777613410116722007-07-19T11:00:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:18:51.591-07:00Frogger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqJddnKKMeI/AAAAAAAAAGo/dL6YjORVP2Q/s1600-h/frogger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RqJddnKKMeI/AAAAAAAAAGo/dL6YjORVP2Q/s200/frogger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089733292191265250" border="0" /></a><br />I felt like I was in the video game frogger when trying to cross this 8<span style="font-family:monospace;"> </span>lane Houston street to get to the bus stop on the other side. There was no walk signal and the middle median was like a concrete tightrope. The good news is<span style="font-family:monospace;"> </span>that I made it across without having to use up any of my lives. The name of the street is called Westheimer. Ironically,<span style="font-family:monospace;"> </span>the street used to be named "Farm to Market Rd" and is still labeled as<span style="font-family:monospace;"> </span>such on some maps.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-43006776880836214732007-07-11T14:36:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:19:41.419-07:00I'm a hypocrite, but not entirely.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RpVegDFmnrI/AAAAAAAAAFY/MWe-M0rF6Wo/s1600-h/volvo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 128px;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RpVegDFmnrI/AAAAAAAAAFY/MWe-M0rF6Wo/s320/volvo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086075258862476978" border="0" /></a><br />I think it's important to note that I have a car...a gasoline one. It's a 1991 volvo wagon, which I purchased for $1300 a few months ago. It's gets about 27 miles to the gallon on the highway. Not too bad for an old car. " According to the <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/Cars/rules/CAFE/docs/Summary-Fuel-Economy-Pref-2004.pdf" target="_blank">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a> (NHTSA) the average gas mileage for new vehicles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RpVgMzFmnsI/AAAAAAAAAFg/xwZEUPiqi3I/s1600-h/cng.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 232px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/RpVgMzFmnsI/AAAAAAAAAFg/xwZEUPiqi3I/s320/cng.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086077127173250754" border="0" /></a> sold in the United States has 23.1 miles per gallon (mpg) in 1980 to 24.7 in 2004. This represents a paltry increase of slightly less than 7% over the 25 year period."<br /><br />Last month, I sold my methane powered van to a non-profit organization in Austin, TX . I wrote an article about it in my <a href="http://tree-music.blogspot.com/2007/07/goodbye-methane-mobile.html">music blog</a>. I used it for four years as a touring vehicle ( I'm a musician ). CNG ( compressed natural gas ) has 90 % less harmful emissions that a gasoline vehicle, but the infracture hasn't been supported by the industry or the government, thus the existing pumps are slowly shutting down. This led me to sell the vehicle, being that I couldn't get out to West Texas, where I am building a <a href="http://terlinguajournal.com/">geodesic dome in the desert</a>.<br /><br />So now, the challenge is to find ways to reduce and eventually eliminate car trips as much as possible. This was easy when I lived in Portland, Oregon...a city which planned ahead while putting much focus on mass transit and pedestrian infratructure.<br /><br />This week, I am visiting family in Houston, arguably the car capital of the world. I grew up in this city. At the time, I didn't have any place to campare it to, other than Johannesburg ( also a car-centric city ), where I was born.<br /><br />To get here from Austin, I drove. The other options are to take the Greyhound, or fly. There is no train from Austin to Houston, though there would have been if Tom Delay didn't pull the proposal for high speed rail from a Texas Ballot. I also had equipment to haul ( instruments, etc ), therefore I decided to drive...but not before placing a rideshare ad on craigslist.<br /><br />The ad was fairly last minute and I didn't think that I would get a response before leaving, but I did...right as I was leaving. I called Kira, and we discovered that we were both at the Kerrville Folk Festival and have friends in common. She felt more comfortable knowing that I was not a murderer, so I swung by her place to fetch her, and her big heavy backpack and guitar. Not only did we have alot to talk about ( folk music, natural building, travelling in Israel ), but we both saved money and time by sharing the ride. And having an extra person in the car doubled my car's fuel efficiency per person.<br /><br />Growing up mostly in Houston, I don't think I took the bus even once. After living in Portland, Oregon for that last four years and getting used to having exceptional mass transit, I decided to try the Houston bus for the first time a few months ago in a previous visit. I was pleasantly surprised, after having very low expectations. I took the bus downtown from far West<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rpe_-TIG4QI/AAAAAAAAAF4/LqhfTIEVW54/s1600-h/houston+bus+stop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iSupOUV43dw/Rpe_-TIG4QI/AAAAAAAAAF4/LqhfTIEVW54/s200/houston+bus+stop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086745381145338114" border="0" /></a> Houston. It's not close. It took the bus 50 minutes, which means that it's almost 2 hours round trip. In a car, this would take about 25 minutes each way, or about half the time. This is a pretty consistent formula, I've found. How ever long it takes in a car, it will take double the time on the bus. However, in a car, the time is strictly spent focusing on driving ( hopefully ). It's wasted time. On the bus, I can make/return phone calls, read, and write. Since I can sometimes get motion sickness while reading, I have books on tape, which I can play though my phone. One also has to factor in the time that it takes to work to earn the money that it costs to drive any distance. In this department, the bus wins again. On the bus, there are also opportunities to relax, wind down, wake up, meet people, and observe people in passing cars. One can let their minds and eyes wonder in ways that they can't when having to focus on the road.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090398871547269664.post-81367245303398927932007-07-11T13:52:00.000-07:002007-08-20T13:20:43.668-07:00catastrophic dependence ?It's hard to find a starting point for this blog, being that there are many years, choices, observations, and factors which have lead me to subscribe to the point of view that we posess a catastrophic dependence on the automobile. Catastrophic ? Yes, I believe so.<br /><br /><span class="me">ca·tas·tro·phe</span> <span class="pronset"> <img src="http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium.gif" border="0" /> <img class="luna-Img" src="http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.png" alt="" border="0" /><a href="https://secure.reference.com/premium/login.html?rd=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fcatastrophic"><img src="http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/speaker.gif" border="0" /></a> <span class="show_ipapr" style="display: none;"><span class="prondelim">/</span><span class="pron">kəˈtæs<img class="luna-Img" src="http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.png" alt="" border="0" />trə<img class="luna-Img" src="http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.png" alt="" border="0" />fi</span><span class="prondelim">/</span> <a class="pronlink" onclick="pk = window.open('/help/luna/IPA_pron_key.html', 'PronunciationKey','height=700,width=560,left=0,top=0,resizable,scrollbars');if(pk){pk.focus();}" onmouseout="status='';return true;" onmouseover="status='Click for pronunciation key';return true;" title="Click for pronunciation key">Pronunciation Key</a><span class="pron_toggle" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim"> - </span><a class="pronlink" onclick="javascript:show_sp()" onmouseout="status='';return true;" onmouseover="status='Click to toggle pronunciation';return true;" title="Click to show spelled pronunciation">Show Spelled Pronunciation</a></span></span><span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron">k<i>uh</i>-<b>tas</b>-tr<i>uh</i>-fee</span><span class="prondelim">]</span> </span></span><br /><br /><table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">1.</td><td valign="top">a widespread disaster <span class="ital-inline"></span></td></tr></tbody> </table> <table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">2.</td><td valign="top">any misfortune, mishap, or failure; fiasco<span class="ital-inline"> </span> </td></tr></tbody> </table> <table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">3.</td><td valign="top">a final event or conclusion, usually an unfortunate one; a disastrous end<span class="ital-inline"> </span> </td></tr></tbody> </table> <table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">4.</td><td valign="top">(in a drama) the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motive, introducing the close or conclusion; dénouement. <span><br /></span> </td></tr></tbody> </table> <table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">5.</td><td valign="top"><span class="labset"><span class="ital-inline">Geology</span>. </span>a sudden, violent disturbance, esp. of a part of the surface of the earth; cataclysm. </td></tr></tbody> </table> <table class="luna-Ent"> <tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">6.</td><td valign="top"><span class="varf">Also called <span class="secondary-bf">catastrophe function.</span> </span><span class="labset"><span class="ital-inline">Mathematics</span>. </span>any of the mathematical functions that describe the discontinuities that are treated in catastrophe theory.<br /></td></tr></tbody> </table><br />So, yes...I think that the word catastrophe describes the current state of our automobile dependence.<br /><br />The initial reason for the creation of automobiles was to lessen the commute time for the wealthy, but as the cost of cars coupled with financing options became subsidized by various industries and government, and cars became available to the common worker, the average commute time has more than doubled from the days when people lived in walking distance from their workplaces, stores, and neighbors.<br /><br />I'm not suggesting that we go back to those days, but I think it's important to look back a century or two to conclude whether this transportation model has been successful or not.<br /><br />It is safe to argue that our automobile infrastructure dependence can be pinpointed as the single most catastrophic event of our time. Just in America, it leads to 40,000 fatalities each year. That's more than all of the terrorist acts and natural disasters combined from the last entire century...and that occurs EVERY year. Our dependence on oil is the primary reason for the war in Iraq and the casualties that have resulted from that.<br /><br />This dependence contributes to our lethargic lifestyles, and resulting health consequences.<br /><br />Sorry...running out of wifi minutes...to be continued.trevor.reichmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09488715405593336625noreply@blogger.com